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So, MI Emirates stays in third place for now but have sealed their qualification for the playoffs. There's a double-header coming your way in the ILT20 tomorrow, so make sure you tune into Sportskeeda to keep up with all the action. For now, that's all we have from the coverage of this contest. This is Pratyush Rohra, signing off on behalf of my friend, Soorya Sesha. Have a good weekend, folks. Goodnight!
Right then. That's how the way the cookie crumbles for the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders. They're still searching for their first win in the tournament and they'll have another chance to do so tomorrow. As for the MI Emirates, they move into the playoffs and will still be eyeing the top-two spot in the remaining games. We're heading into the business end of the tournament now and the games are coming in thick and fast. Which team will stand tall above the rest at the end of the day? That remains to be seen. Today, was MI Emirates' day, and as their captain said, carrying this momentum forward will be crucial.
MI Emirates captain Kieron Pollard is the Player of the Match for his 17-ball 43. Here's what he has to say: Good feeling. When you start any tournament the first aim is to quality. Positions become second nature. To be able to qualify before the last game, well done to the team. We were behind the eight-ball a bit. I don't know if the pitch got better but the guys stuck out there. (On move to retire Lorcan Tucker out) I thought he played a good innings for us first of all. But we also had a couple of guys who could hit sixes consistently. So it was a strategic decision that we made and it's fun, it's part and parcel of the game. It's something we spoke about at the start of the tournament, to take those risks. (How did Tucker take it?) As you go on as an individual as an adult and understand team dynamics, you accept it. Look forward to him contributing to us in the rest of the tournament. Zahoor has been fantastic. If you've watched him in the last couple of years in T10 cricket, he has been outstanding. He was in our camp three years ago when we had Mumbai Indians here. Moving onto the old young guy (Bravo), he has been brilliant throughout this tournament. He has been showing his experience not just on the field but off the field as well in sharing his experience with the guys. Long may he continue. (Aim for the last game) Momentum - just continuing playing good cricket and understanding those scenarios.
Sunil Narine (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders captain): We had them under control. We had the upper hand and they just came in the last seven overs to capitalize on the bowling. At the end of the day, you can plan whatever you want but it doesn't always work out. (Pollard) He's been playing good cricket and has been batting well throughout the tournament. (Marchant de Lange) He's hype. He enjoys cricket. Someone who is always busy and looking forward to a challenge. Always eager to play and he showed that today.
Match summary: MI Emirates beat Abu Dhabi Knight Riders by 18 runs to qualify for the playoffs.
Muhammad Waseem 60 (43) | Dwayne Bravo 3/37 (4) Andre Russell 42 (22) | Sabir Ali Rao 1/21 (2)
A win was what MI Emirates needed in order to book a spot in the playoffs and they've managed to pocket that here at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium. Against an Abu Dhabi Knight Riders side that just doesn't know how to win, Kieron Pollard and Co. have put together a stellar all-round display, with the captain himself leading the way to help them post 180 on the board with the bat.
Trent Boult dismissed the dangerous Paul Stirling through the course of a wicket maiden off the opening over of the bowling essay. That said, the Knight Riders came out blazing away, with the intention of taking the game on and dictating terms to the opposition. Joe Clarke looked in good nick again and even as Brandon King failed to convert his promising start into a big one, Charith Asalanka joined in on the act himself.
The bowlers chipped away at the wickets but it was time for Andre Russell to then take centerstage and pose a challenge of a different kind to MIE. Mind you, Pollard was very enterprising with his field placements and they tried a number of different things to Russell, with Dwayne Bravo nailing his yorkers from around the wicket. It seemed as though ADKR would finally have the rub of the green going their way when the big Jamaican imposed himself on the contest in the form of a counter-attack and the game was as interesting as it could have gotten.
But then, it all came apart. How, you ask? In the most unbelievable fashion, with Russell heaving a wretched full toss into the hands of deep mid-wicket. Sunil Narine looked positive from the outset himself but even he failed to kick on and get the job done. The Knights were still a fair few runs away, although an asking rate hovering around the 10-run mark kept them afloat.
In the end though, a spurt of regular wickets meant that the task got tougher with each passing over. Zahoor Khan and Bravo were immaculate with their execution at the death and that shut the doors firmly on the Knight Riders, whose miserable campaign has hit yet another abyss. Nothing has worked for them this season and alas, they stand a chance of ending the tournament without a single win against their name now with just one more contest to go. Stick around for the presentations...
And that is that! Game, set, match and playoffs for MI Emirates! A superb display with the ball despite having to fight hard and Mousley has applied the final stamp on this contest. Eight losses and a washout in nine games for Abu Dhabi Knight Riders!
19.2 Dan Mousley to Marchant de Lange, CHOPPED ON! KNOCKED OVER! Sticking to the plan to dart it full and outside the off-stump. De Lange is late on it, only getting a thick inside edge that crashes into the middle stump. Relief and roars for Mousley! Not so much for ADKR, who still await their first victory. MI Emirates won by 18 runs and secure their place in the playoffs! Marchant de Lange b Dan Mousley 19 (14b, 0x4, 1x6)
De Lange is very confident that he has hit this. He had to go up either way, of course, but one doesn't even need UltraEdge to confirm that he has got a nice chunk of wood on this one. The game is still alive and the run doesn't count since it was given out on the field.
19.1 Dan Mousley to Marchant de Lange, LBW! THE FINGER GOES UP! Needless to say, de Lange reviews. Another darter fired in full and straight, deflecting off de Lange's pads as he shuffled across and probably missed out. Well, as it turns out, he has hit it. Clearly off the inside edge as the ball rolled to short fine leg. It's a dead ball.
19.1 Dan Mousley to Marchant de Lange, wide. Darted in down the leg side. Tucker did well to ensure there were no further extras
Around the wicket he comes.
Dan Mousley [1.0-0-8-0] to bowl the final over of the game
It's now 20 needed off the last over with just 11 runs coming off overs 18 and 19. Zahoor and Bravo haven't put a foot wrong and have been outstanding with their plans and execution. They have given the one bowling the final over a bigger cushion to play with and with ADKR having a lone wicket in hand, they need a lot of stars to align. Will it be Tahir or Mousley to bowl the last? The latter it is!
19
overs
161/9score
1wd
2
0
2
1
W
0
runs
Sabir Ali*
0(1)
Marchant de Lange
19(12)
Dwayne Bravo
3/37
18.6 Dwayne Bravo to Sabir Ali Rao, another slower one in the off-stump channel. Sabir leans forward to present the maker's name, no run
Around the wicket again comes Bravo.
Sabir Ali Rao, RHB, is the last man out in the middle
And a just reward for all that immaculate execution! There's a reason why Bravo has a bucketful of wickets in T20 cricket - it's his uncanny ability to outthink the batter and stay two steps ahead of the man in front of him. And MI Emirates are just a wicket away from the playoffs!
18.5 Dwayne Bravo to Matiullah Khan, OUT! BRAVO HAS THREE! Wide slower yorker outside the off-stump line and Matiullah was waiting on it before trying to thump it over long-off. However, he's got not got the timing right and chips this to Pollard for the simplest of catches. MI Emirates are one wicket away from victory! Matiullah Khan c Kieron Pollard b Dwayne Bravo 2 (4b, 0x4, 0x6)
Video
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K Pollard
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Sabir Ali
*
Dwayne Bravo
Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
